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comment by mk
mk  ·  4523 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Covering buildings in lichen.
Good point, I was wondering that too.

I would guess that it takes a very long time. Or, if it didn't maybe lichen-friendly materials could be used.

Oh, bummer:

When growing on mineral surfaces, some lichens slowly decompose their substrate by chemically degrading and physically disrupting the minerals, contributing to the process of weathering by which rocks are gradually turned into soil. While this contribution to weathering is usually benign, it can cause problems for artificial stone structures. For example, there is an ongoing lichen growth problem on Mount Rushmore National Memorial that requires the employment of mountain-climbing conservators to clean the monument.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lichen#Ecology